A technology of acquiring a three-dimensional image using a capturing device is advancing. Depth information (depth map) is required for acquiring a three-dimensional image. Depth information is information that indicates a spatial distance and shows perspective information of a point with respect to another point in a two-dimensional image.
Methods of acquiring depth information include a method using a stereo camera, a time-of-flight (TOF) method, a structured light method, etc.
According to the method using a stereo camera, depth information may be acquired using a time difference between two cameras. According to the TOF method, depth information may be acquired by measuring flight time, i.e., the time taken for emitted light to be reflected. According to the structured light method, depth information may be acquired by projecting infrared (IR) structured light to a camera and interpreting light reflected from an object.
Meanwhile, as a technology to which a television (TV) is applied is advancing, a module including a depth information extracting function and a video call function may be embedded in a TV or connected to the TV. The module may include a projector that projects IR structured light, an IR camera that detects the IR structured light, and an RGB camera.
In this way, when the module including a depth information extracting function and a video call function includes both of the IR camera and the RGB camera, there is a problem of a difficulty with embedding the module in a TV because of a manufacturing cost increase, size enlargement, and structural complication.